Wenslus Murape
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AT LEAST eight people have so far submitted their names for consideration to contest the ZIFA presidency, with the closing date set for Wednesday this week, while the elections will be held on January 25.
Those who have filed their papers are Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Farai Jere, Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) chairperson Martin Kweza, former ZIFA board member (finance) Philemon Machana and Harare businessman Nqobile Magwizi.
The other four are Temba Mliswa, Marshal Gore, Gilbert Muponda and Twine Phiri.
The prospective candidates will have to pass an eligibility test before getting to the final shortlist, which will be confirmed on December 23. Jere, the CAPS United majority shareholder, has always hinted he would take a shot at the biggest administrative post in the country.
And he confirmed the move while officiating at the Soccer Stars banquet in Harare on Friday. ZIFA statutes do not allow holders of other leadership posts to enter the race, and Jere revealed he was stepping down from the PSL to vie for the ZIFA presidency.
“This could be the last time I will be officiating as the PSL chairman,” he said. “I am entering the race for the ZIFA presidency. I love football and I am willing to lead it.
“As the PSL, we have managed to interact with our fans on a huge scale and we look forward to even better interaction. Our league is top quality. We are proud of the governors.”
Jere is entering the race that has a mixed bag of technocrats, football experts and passionate individuals as his competitors.
The ZIFA elections will be held on January 25 to coincide with the end of the ZIFA Normalisation Committee’s mandate.
The ZIFA NC has been running the affairs of the association since June last year. Their coming into the fray followed the readmission of the country to international football after an 18-month ban.
The NC has had their fair share of ups and downs, but they deserve a pat on the back for overseeing the Warriors’ qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations to be held in Morocco late next year. Their mandate was initially supposed to end in June this year, but it was extended by six more months to enable key logistical issues, including the amendment of the ZIFA constitution, to take place.
Kweza has charmed the country with the way he has run arguably the best Division One league in the country.
He is surely one of the front-runners for the post given how he has worked so hard to improve the standards of the game, not only in the NRSL but across the country.
Kweza has a lot to brag about, including his administration’s ability to consistently reward their soccer stars with a much bigger budget than the elite league.
On the other hand, Machana knows the terrain quite well, and he should be causing a lot of sleepless nights to his competitors.
He has had his court cases cleared, the only hope his competitors had of seeing him disqualified. With the clearance, he is ready to battle his way back to 53 Livingstone Avenue.
Harare businessman Magwizi is not to be underrated as well due to his outstanding works in improving the general appeal of the local game. Besides the three front-runners, Jere will also face off against dark horse Mliswa, Gore, Muponda and Phiri.
Online Reporter
